1.
grand prize; top award; best-in-show award
The highest award given in a competition or contest. Literally 'most excellent prize,' it ranks above 優秀賞 ('excellence award') in the typical Japanese award hierarchy.
最優秀賞に輝いた。
They won the grand prize.
彼の作品がコンクールで最優秀賞を受賞した。
His work received the grand prize at the competition.
全国から千を超える応募があった中で、最優秀賞に選ばれたのは高校生の作品だった。
Among over a thousand entries from across the country, the grand prize went to a high school student's work.
Compound of 最 ('most'), 優秀 ('excellent'), and 賞 ('prize'). The typical award hierarchy in Japanese competitions is: 最優秀賞 > 優秀賞 > 佳作 ('honorable mention').
USAGE:
- Common in contests for art, writing, film, music, research, and business
- The verb phrase 最優秀賞に輝く ('to shine with the grand prize') is a set expression meaning 'to win the grand prize'
- Sometimes abbreviated in context as simply 最優秀
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 最優秀賞を受賞する: to receive the grand prize
- 最優秀賞に輝く: to win the grand prize
- 最優秀賞に選ばれる: to be chosen for the grand prize
- 最優秀賞受賞者: grand prize winner
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 優秀賞: excellence award — the next tier down, recognizing outstanding work
- 大賞: grand prize; grand award — used for major named prizes, often with a specific contest name prefix
- 金賞: gold prize — top award in some competition formats, especially music and food contests